Writing Books/the legalities

QuestionI wish to help my father ( a retired police officer ) to write a book/ books about his time in the police force. There are many issues that concern us such as ;- his relationship with the establishment, the ability to write about crimes that have been committed etc. where do we start to find out whether the book is possible ?

AnswerDear Maria,
Thank you for your letter. There are many legal questions, i agree. However, that may be one of the reasons your father wants to write about these issues. It's best to get the truth out there and if you father's version is different from the "official truth," then that is part of the story he wants to tell.
I would recommend that he write his heart out on the first draft. Just say what needs to be said and don't worry about the legal implications. That way, he will have the satisfaction of stating what he knows to be the truth.
In future drafts, when he starts to get ready to sell the book to a publisher, he can get some legal advice to sort out the ticklish points. However, the first draft should be uninhibited because otherwise the real story he wants to tell may remain bottled up inside.
If you need a good entertainment attorney, i can recommend one.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Nori

Expertise

Writing and publishing books, including e-books.

Experience

I have been writing for publication since 1981, including years as a staff writer, associate editor, editorial writer, and freelance reporter. At this time, I have eight Kindle books for sale at Amazon.com.

OrganizationsLakes of Tempe Authors, Tempe, Arizona

PublicationsBetrayal of the Spirit: My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement
Dreaming Peace: Your Thoughts Can Change the World
Cult Recovery Handbook: Seven Paths to an Authentic Life
Child of the Cult
Learning to Flow with the Tao: The 64 Hexagrams of the I Ching
Positive Quotations: Wisdom from the Master Mind
Collected Writings: Five Books by Nori Muster
Noriland Art Gallery: Secrets from the Vault
Spiritual Summer and Other Short Stories